2.21.2008

Midnight CNN Bitchfest

What on Earth was Anderson Cooper thinking when he referred to the Latino vote as the "Spanish Vote" on CNN just now?Lord, Anderson, you are a New Yorker, you should know better... this slang is really obnoxious to many people, of all backgrounds, whether because we are versed in Critical Race Theory or merely because we realize that Americans are not "English."

When I was a kid, my family made sure I felt pride in being bilingual. This took quite an effort as when we left New York City we were frequently ostracized for having the audacity to speak Spanish in public. Perhaps it is these infuriating memories that make for my bitter amusement as I listen to Clinton and Obama court the Latin-American vote by sputtering out Spanish phrases like "Yes we can." (And, Obama, you need to work on your accent as it comes to enunciating the sound of words with the letter "D." It only takes a few minutes. If I can take a decent stab at French or Latin, you can make that "Si Se Puede" not sound ridiculous.)

My how spoiled I have become.Despite my unhappiness at his victory, I admit to crying when I heard Dubya first address a crowd in Spanish several years back. It felt like a moment of validation: I am not invisible. My people do count.

Now, jaded, my question to the candidates is: What are you going to do for us? And for our relatives in countries where there are abundant natural resources, but serious issues as they relate to infrastructure--issues where a powerhouse like the United States could be of great assistance, if only Latinos were more than a focus group during election time.

And a final note: I worshiped Jon Stewart back in the day... what a damn disappointing apologist he has become.